Britain and Ireland need each other more than ever: Clegg

BRITAIN and Ireland “need each other more than ever” amid the global financial crisis, British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg will say in Dublin today.

The Liberal Democrat leader will suggest both countries can work together as equal partners to “lead” a European recovery.

Mr Clegg’s arrival in Dublin comes on the heels of yesterday’s meeting between Taoiseach Enda Kenny and British prime minister David Cameron in Downing Street. Mr Kenny and Mr Cameron agreed to work together on putting a “growth test” at the heart of all future EU policy. Such a test, if agreed by other member states, would ensure that new EU directives would not harm economic growth or job creation.

The growth test is separate to the so-called fiscal compact being drafted to resolve the eurozone debt crisis.

Britain’s influence in Europe was weakened in December by its decision not to take part in the compact over concerns about how the plan might impact on its financial services industry.

The Government remains concerned about Britain’s absence from the compact, given that the two countries are key trading partners and allies at EU level.

The agreement to work on plans for a growth test may be seen as a signal of the Government’s desire to draw Britain closer to the compact. However, a Government spokesman said it would be wrong to interpret events in Downing Street this way, as the growth test is seen as a separate measure to be implemented after the compact is put in place and the eurozone stabilised.

Mr Clegg will today restate Britain’s determination to do exactly that with Ireland’s support.

He is expected to urge closer ties between the two countries because in these “uncertain times” Ireland and Britain “need each other more than ever”.